Procedure for Filling a Complaint at Procedure for Filling a Complaint at the Online Consumer Forum the Online Consumer Forum

Bhonko – Power Your VoiceBhonko – Power Your Voice

Bhonko is an Online Bhonko is an Online Consumer Forum in India. Consumer Forum in India. The The Online Consumer Forum believes in providing a common in providing a common platform for posting platform for posting complaints against any kind complaints against any kind of products or services of products or services associated with associated with multinational brands, public multinational brands, public or private enterprises. The or private enterprises. The platform always helps in platform always helps in maintaining and regulating maintaining and regulating the business and consumer the business and consumer relationships.relationships.

Online Consumer Forum Online Consumer Forum (Bhonko)(Bhonko)

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Government Organization

Clothing Shoes & Accessories

Education Telecommunication

Any Type Complaints

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Who is Consumer?Who is Consumer? A consumer refers to a person who buys A consumer refers to a person who buys

any commodity and also is a user of such any commodity and also is a user of such commodity or service.commodity or service.

A person is considered to be a consumer if A person is considered to be a consumer if he buys capital goods in order to provide he buys capital goods in order to provide services to other individuals. services to other individuals.

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Any person who fulfills the below mentioned conditions can claim himself as a consumer-

-The services must be provided to him-The person has paid for the service.

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FACTORS LEADING TO FACTORS LEADING TO CONSUMER EXPLOITATION –CONSUMER EXPLOITATION –

(i) (i) Deceptive and Misleading techniques -Deceptive and Misleading techniques - This This technique is considered to be illegal in case of any business technique is considered to be illegal in case of any business establishment.establishment.

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(iii) (iii) False Warranties or GuaranteesFalse Warranties or Guarantees – – This may This may be considered as an unfair business practice or a type of fraud. A be considered as an unfair business practice or a type of fraud. A warranty is violated when a promise between a buyer and a shopkeeper warranty is violated when a promise between a buyer and a shopkeeper is broken. is broken.

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(ii) (ii) Adulteration –Adulteration – Adulteration is a legal term which states Adulteration is a legal term which states that a specific product fails to meet federal and state standards. It is that a specific product fails to meet federal and state standards. It is addition of an alternate substance to a food item in order to increase its addition of an alternate substance to a food item in order to increase its quantity both in prepared as well as raw forms. quantity both in prepared as well as raw forms.

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(iv) (iv) Black Marketing – Black Marketing – Black market represents an illegal Black market represents an illegal trading of any goods or service. The basic motive is to avoid taxes and trading of any goods or service. The basic motive is to avoid taxes and regulations. It is a subset of an informal economy. regulations. It is a subset of an informal economy.

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Consumer Protection Act 1986Consumer Protection Act 1986 This is a social, legislative Act.This is a social, legislative Act.

The act enables general customers to The act enables general customers to secure less expensive and speedy secure less expensive and speedy Redressal of their grievances.Redressal of their grievances.

This Act is applicable throughout the This Act is applicable throughout the country except Jammu and Kashmir.country except Jammu and Kashmir.

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Salient Features of the Act Salient Features of the Act ––

The Act covers all public sector, private sector The Act covers all public sector, private sector and cooperative organizations.and cooperative organizations.

This act applies to all goods and services.This act applies to all goods and services.

It ensures consumer rights.It ensures consumer rights.

Provisions are contemporary in nature.Provisions are contemporary in nature.

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Consumer Rights –Consumer Rights –(i) Right to choose – It ensure Right to be assured i.e. to have variety of goods and services at competitive prices.

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(ii) (ii) Right to be heard - Right to be heard - It ensures that consumers will receive due It ensures that consumers will receive due consideration at appropriate forums. It helps consumers for posting their complaints consideration at appropriate forums. It helps consumers for posting their complaints significantly. To raise a voice against companies or their products and ensures that significantly. To raise a voice against companies or their products and ensures that consumer issues can be handled in an efficient consumer issues can be handled in an efficient way. way.

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(iii) (iii) Right to Safety Right to Safety – – The right ensures protection against marketing The right ensures protection against marketing of goods and services which pose a danger to life and property. It is applicable of goods and services which pose a danger to life and property. It is applicable to areas like pharmaceuticals, health care and food processing. to areas like pharmaceuticals, health care and food processing.

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(iv) (iv) Right to InformationRight to Information – – It ensures right to get information It ensures right to get information pertaining to purity, potency, standard and quantity. It ensures pertaining to purity, potency, standard and quantity. It ensures consumers to have simple access to information which proves to be very consumers to have simple access to information which proves to be very significant for them. significant for them.

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(v(v) Right to Redressal) Right to Redressal- - This right ensures Redressal against This right ensures Redressal against unfair trade practices or restrictive trade practices. The government of unfair trade practices or restrictive trade practices. The government of India has been more successful with regard to this act. India has been more successful with regard to this act.

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Responsibilities of a ConsumerResponsibilities of a Consumer – – Before buying any product, the Consumer must be Conscious about its quality. He/ she should Before buying any product, the Consumer must be Conscious about its quality. He/ she should

verify the Quality marks such as-verify the Quality marks such as-

Agmark ISI FPO BIS

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Remedies Under Consumer Protection ActRemedies Under Consumer Protection Act

Replace the goods.Replace the goods. Remove the defects in the product.Remove the defects in the product. Return the price paid to the Return the price paid to the

complainant.complainant. Issue of corrective advertisement.Issue of corrective advertisement. Not to offer hazardous goods for sale.Not to offer hazardous goods for sale.

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Consumer Awareness Consumer Awareness –– Online- Website and social networking Online- Website and social networking

sites.sites. Universities- E.g. Jawaharlal Nehru Universities- E.g. Jawaharlal Nehru

University, Delhi UniversityUniversity, Delhi University TV and FM RadioTV and FM Radio Poster and banners at public places.Poster and banners at public places. Magazines and NewspapersMagazines and Newspapers

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Procedure for filing complaints at Procedure for filing complaints at BhonkoBhonko – –

Consumers need to visit Bhonko.Consumers need to visit Bhonko.

Consumers need to post complaints against Consumers need to post complaints against private companies or public enterprises.private companies or public enterprises.

After that, the team of the Online Consumer After that, the team of the Online Consumer Forum will refer the complaint directly to Forum will refer the complaint directly to competent authority of the company.competent authority of the company.

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Bhonko team will ask for the inconvenience being caused to the person. The team will keep a follow up with the company.

Finally, the Consumer Forum India Online Complaint Cell will assist the person in approaching the consumer court.

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